Shearer reverses hydration-break stance after England's comeback win over DR Congo

Alan Shearer has reversed his criticism of FIFA’s mandatory hydration breaks after England used one to turn around a losing position against DR Congo on Wednesday, winning 2-1 to advance to the last 16 of the World Cup.

England fell behind after just seven minutes when Brian Cipenga scored for DR Congo, and the Three Lions were struggling to create anything before the first three-minute hydration break arrived. Thomas Tuchel used the stoppage to deliver tactical instructions, and England were noticeably sharper afterwards — though it still took until the 75th minute for Harry Kane to equalise. The England captain added a second in the 86th minute to seal the win and set up a last-16 tie against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer acknowledged the break’s impact despite his earlier scepticism. “In the first 25 minutes, everywhere across the pitch was poor — they came out slow, looked lethargic, tired, and I couldn’t quite understand why,” he said. “And as much as we criticised the hydration breaks, it worked perfectly for England because we would’ve been in trouble if that hadn’t happened. He was able to settle everyone down, get his point across, tell them to get into forward options quicker, tell wingers to take players on — and they created chances after that. I mean, they never had a shot on target in the first 20-25 minutes.”

The admission marks a notable shift for the former England striker. During England’s group-stage match against Ghana, Shearer labelled the breaks “nonsense”, and they have regularly been booed by supporters inside stadiums. He has also argued publicly that the breaks serve commercial rather than welfare purposes. “For players’ safety, when it’s too hot, yes, absolutely have a hydration break,” he told Betfair earlier in the tournament. “But England’s game was air-conditioned — 21 degrees, perfect temperature with a roof over. So there is absolutely no need for players’ welfare to have a hydration break. We all know what they’re for. The vast majority of time, unfortunately, it’s not for player welfare. It’s for adverts.”

The breaks are a fixture of every match at this year’s World Cup regardless of conditions — a policy that has drawn widespread criticism. UEFA has confirmed that Euro 2028 will take a different approach, introducing hydration breaks only when temperatures exceed a set threshold rather than applying them universally.